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Family Bios: February 23, 2019

We will visit a Christian family from Burma (Myanmar). Christians make up just over 8% of the population in Burma. They experience discrimination and sometimes even persecution as a minority population. The father and mother fled Burma with one small child (now 10 years old). While they waited for asylum in Malaysia, another child (now 5 years old) was added to the family. They have now been in the USA for almost 2 years and are now a family of 5; the youngest is a US citizen, born just after their arrival here. Mom and dad are both working part-time and taking care of the children. The two older children are in school and doing well. While they have no other family here in the USA, mom indicated, with a smile, that she has made a friend here in Arizona,

The second family we will visit if from Afghanistan. The entire family – mom and the 7 children (aged 19 to 3)- fled the violence in their country. They waited for asylum for about two years in Pakistan. They have been in Phoenix just over two years. The oldest child, a son, goes to school 4 days a week and works three days a week to support the family. Five daughters are in school as well; the youngest is still too young and stays home with mom. The family has relatives in Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan, but no one here in the USA. Thankfully, the children have made friends at school. Mom was very thankful to WTAP for helping in this time of need.